V. van Ravestein. "The Balkan Problem." *Die Neue Zeit*, 1913 (31st year of publication, vol. 1), 15 November 1912.

NB

"Such a federation" (a federation of the Balkan countries, including Turkey) "would be in a position to satisfy the cultural needs of this geographically unified region, and to oppose to the advance of European imperialism, as well as Russian world power, an insurmountable barrier. All other solutions to the Balkan problem can only be of a temporary character and are not in a position to satisfy for a prolonged time the interests of all the races and nations inhabiting that region" (p. 228).

"European imperialism as well as tsarism will naturally resist with all their forces the federation of all the Balkan countries. Their common interest was and remains directed toward the exacerbation of mutual enmity and rivalry between these peoples and Turkey, in order that they might more easily exploit these territories as colonial domains. Will the statesmen of Turkey and the Balkan states understand their common interests and will they end this destructive war, drawing closer to one another? If they do not do so, they will sacrifice the interests of their peoples to European capitalism and the interests of the Balkan dynasties" (p. 229).